I am reposting my Ska-oriented preset from May 2019, made for the Bluethner when it was brand new, as it was a bit too quiet compared to the others. Only two mics are used, but I raised them both by a hair, keeping the same balance though.

This is an intimate patch that moght require the Full Library (I'm too tired at this late hour to check), and was tweaked to work well in the context of the "bubble" used for reggae and ska music.

It also works well outside those genres, but my newer Glass Piano preset is perhaps a better starting point for a lot of other contexts outside the island genres.

For many years, I had been using various Yamaha grand pianos and uprights -- or even the hideous but commonly-associated-with-late-80's-reggae Korg M1 -- but I am finding that this Bluethner piano really opens up the sound more and helps the brass to shine better when present in the arrangement (common for ska, and sometimes for reggae as well).

By now, I have vetted this preset on far more than just up-tempo ska, including slower reggae, calypso, and even some pop songs that have a 60's influence such as early R&B.

I did retain, and mildly tweak, some EQ presets that came with one of the factory "intimate" settings. I always turn off the reverb though, as these are already pretty roomy libraries, even when using mostly (or exclusively) the close mics.

Hey guys,

I want to see what you did with the new Bösendorfer upright. I like it's mellow tone, however I am not a fan of the lowest octaves (as expected with an upright). I would like to see a preset that manages to really balances the sound nicely :) looking forward to it :)

I agree, but I am very disappointed with the Bösendorfer Upright so far.

here's one I did with the Steinway, just the Condenser mic, very close and warm...

condenserEQ.zip-1696491633079-g3o4a.zip

but the bass is very uncomfortable in the ears. They are no longer clear and blur very much when you press the sustain pedal. I think. that's a bit too much. I'd turn the bass down a bit and take the room mix in with it.

@Snoopy10 said:

but the bass is very uncomfortable in the ears. They are no longer clear and blur very much when you press the sustain pedal. I think. that's a bit too much. I'd turn the bass down a bit and take the room mix in with it.

maybe, but I was looking for a close and intimate tone, and I like it as it is... in my monitor headphones it doesn't sound overly bassy. The kind of sound you would get when sitting at the piano at midnight, that's the idea. On which kind of monitors are you listening, Georgy if I may ask?

@Snoopy10 said:

but the bass is very uncomfortable in the ears. They are no longer clear and blur very much when you press the sustain pedal. I think. that's a bit too much. I'd turn the bass down a bit and take the room mix in with it.

maybe, but I was looking for a close and intimate tone, and I like it as it is... in my monitor headphones it doesn't sound overly bassy. The kind of sound you would get when sitting at the piano at midnight, that's the idea. On which kind of monitors are you listening, Georgy if I may ask?

if you can, I'd love to try your modified patch... when it asks if you want to upload a file, go on and it will present you with a button to load from your disk. You'll have to compress the file in order to be accepted...

EDIT: you were faster than me :) thank you, I'm going to bed now, tomorrow I'll try it

very nice variation, thank you Georgy!

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your experience,

This patch (complet version), it's general purpose Steinway, can work for variété style and different sound system without hard requirement, any suggest welcome 😊

best

Pierre

Ps: v3

I am confused.  My VSL steinway is looking for an fxp file for a preset.  Where are there fxp files on this forum?
Thank you!!!

When I open an attachment I do not get a fxp file.  I get a vsynpreset file.  Are you finding an fxp file in an attachment on this thread?

@Keepitsimple said:

In the zip files ATTACHMENTS OF ALMOST EVERY POST IN THIS THREAD.

@Keepitsimple said:

In the zip files ATTACHMENTS OF ALMOST EVERY POST IN THIS THREAD.

I misread your post and totally igonored the fact that you're looking for an fxp file. Why would you need an fxp file? Just place the vsynpreset file inside Documents/VSL/Vienna Synchron Pianos/Presets.

Anyway - I figure it out along what you are saying.  The vsynpreset files in this thread have to be moved to a VSL preset folder in the computer before they will open up!  

BTW - when I save a preset on my computer from the save preset function, it does create an FXP file.  And they do load into it as well.  A little confusing, but I think I understand it all now!

Thank you,

AB

I've renamed all of my personal presets, to be more recognizable in the context of which piano as well as close vs. stage etc. But the last time I tried to rename attachments here, it kept the old ones and added the new ones, creating confusion, so I'm just leaving it be for now, as I didn't really tweak any of the settings yet anyway. Hopefully the descriptions I provided earlier are enough to help, if the preset names are confusing or seem genre-specific where they shouldn't be.

I may have a couple more (new ones) to post shortly, and I did modify my Yamaha preset but I'm not posting it yet because it hasn't made it all the way through a production cycle, which is what I consider the proof in the pudding.

UPDATE (6 March 2021): I have tweaked all of my presets now, and was about to post them (including new 280VC and a heavily revised CFX), but then there were two updates by VSL (one to CFX and one to all of the pianos) right afterwards, so I need to integrate the new features and do a final review before posting, as well as see whether I learn anything from the new presets in Rabih's post that follows mine.

My presets for the 280VC (Standard library only).

- Reverb is off in the mixer but it's highly recommended to either turn it on or use a 3rd party reverb (like i do). 

- Velocity curve and sensitivity both left untouched. Up to you to tweak according to your controller. I personally leave everything at default because the 280 VC feels/sounds great to me as is when played through my Yamaha HS80M monitors. 

- Some volume adjustments were done on the upper range in the edit page. 

- Some minor frequency taming was done on certain notes on the upper range in the edit page. 

Enjoy.

Rabih

RabihU0020BosyU0020VC.zip-1696491635635-4sk1t.zip

VelocityU0020Curve.zip-1696491635635-b8rrz.zip

Added a velocity curve to my previous post. I think it's a great starting point.

Here a few more Synchron Pianos User Presets - kindly provided by Philip Johnston for the community & everyone who is interested in exploring them.

And here are the corresponding performances on the VSL YouTube Channel:

• "Improv1": VSL Synchron Concert D-274 Improvisation #1, by Philip Johnston
  
  
• "Improv2": VSL Synchron Concert D-274 Improvisation #2, by Philip Johnston
  
  
• "Overture": VSL Synchron Concert D-274: Ouverture, by Philip Johnston
  
  
• "Overture4": VSL Yamaha CFX: Overture #4, by Philip Johnston
  
  
• "WithoutWords": VSL Synchron Concert D-274: Without Words, by Philip Johnston
  

Best regards,
Andreas

I'm new to the forum and the Synchron Steinway D-274. Someone in the thread said, "Just place the vsynpreset file inside Documents/VSL/Vienna Synchron Pianos/Presets." Is that all there is to it, or is there something else that needs to be done? I appreciate any help you might offer. Looking forward to getting to know this instrument.